“OfmydearSavinien，“criedthegirl，burstingintotears。“Yes，mygoodfriend，“shesaid，sobbing，“avoicetellsmeheisasnobleinheartasheisinrace。Hehasnotonlytoldmethathelovesmealone，buthehasproveditinahundreddelicateways，andbyrestrainingheroicallyhisardentfeelings。LatelywhenhetookthehandIheldouttohim，thateveningwhenMonsieurBongrandproposedtomeahusband，itwasthefirsttime，Isweartoyou，thatIhadevergivenit。Hebeganwithajestwhenheblewmeakissacrossthestreet，butsincethenouraffectionhasneveroutwardlypassed，asyouwellknow，thenarrowestlimits。ButIwilltellyou，——youwhoreadmysoulexceptinthisoneregionwherenonebuttheangelssee，——well，Iwilltellyou，thislovehasbeeninmethesecretspringofmanyseemingmerits；itmademeacceptmypoverty；itsoftenedthebitternessofmyirreparableloss，formymourningismoreperhapsinmyclothesnowthaninmyheart——Oh，wasIwrong？canitbethatlovewasstrongerinmethanmygratitudetomybenefactor，andGodhaspunishedmeforit？Buthowcoulditbeotherwise？IrespectedinmyselfSavinien’sfuturewife；yes，perhapsIwastooproud，perhapsitisthatpridewhichGodhashumbled。Godalone，asyouhaveoftentoldme，shouldbetheendandobjectofallouractions。“
Theabbewasdeeplytouchedashewatchedthetearsrolldownherpallidface。Thehigherhersenseofsecurityhadbeen，thelowershewasnowtofall。
“But，“shesaid，continuing，“ifIreturntomyorphanedcondition，I
shallknowhowtotakeupitsfeelings。Afterall，couldIhavetiedamill-stoneroundtheneckofhimIlove？Whatcanhedohere？WhoamI
tobindhimtome？Besides，doInotlovehimwithafriendshipsodivinethatIcanbearthelossofmyownhappinessandmyhopes？YouknowIhaveoftenblamedmyselfforlettingmyhopesrestuponagrave，andforknowingtheywerewaitingonthatpooroldlady’sdeath。IfSavinienisrichandhappywithanotherIhaveenoughtopayformyentrancetoaconvent，whereIshallgoatonce。Therecannomorebetwolovesinawoman’sheartthantherecanbetwomastersinheaven，andthelifeofareligiousisattractivetome。“
“HecouldnotlethismothergoalonetoRouvre，“saidtheabbe，gently。
“Donotletustalkofthat，mydeargoodfriend，“sheanswered。“I
willwriteto-nightandsethimfree。Iamgladtohavetoclosethewindowsofthisroom，“shecontinued，tellingheroldfriendoftheanonymousletters，butdeclaringthatshewouldnotallowanyinquiriestobemadeastowhoherunknownlovermightbe。
“Why！itwasananonymousletterthatfirsttookMadamedePortendueretoRouvre，“criedtheabbe。“Youareannoyedforsomeobjectbyevilpersons。“
“Howcanthatbe？NeitherSaviniennorIhaveinjuredanyone；andI
amnolongeranobstacletotheprosperityofothers。“
“Well，well，mychild，“saidtheabbe，quietly，“letusprofitbythistempest，whichhasscatteredourlittlecircle，toputthelibraryinorder。Thebooksarestillinheaps。BongrandandIwanttogettheminorder；wewishtomakeasearchamongthem。PutyourtrustinGod，andrememberalsothatinourgoodBongrandandinmeyouhavetwodevotedfriends。“
“Thatismuch，verymuch，“shesaid，goingwithhimtothethresholdofthedoor，whereshestretchedouthernecklikeabirdlookingoveritsnest，hopingagainsthopetoseeSavinien。
JustthenMinoretandGoupil，returningfromawalkinthemeadows，stoppedastheypassed，andthecolossusspoketoUrsula。
“Isanythingthematter，cousin；forwearestillcousins，arewenot？
Youseemchanged。“
GoupillookedsoardentlyatUrsulathatshewasfrightened，andwentbackintothehousewithoutreplying。
“Sheiscross，“saidMinorettotheabbe。
“MademoiselleMirouetisquiterightnottotalktomenonthethresholdofherdoor，“saidtheabbe；“sheistooyoung——“
“Oh！“saidGoupil。“Iamtoldshedoesn’tlacklovers。“
TheabbebowedhurriedlyandwentasfastashecouldtotheRuedesBourgeois。
“Well，“saidGoupiltoMinoret，“thethingisworking。Didyounoticehowpaleshewas。Withinafortnightshe’llhaveleftthetown——you’llsee。“
“Betterhaveyouforafriendthananenemy，“criedMinoret，frightenedattheatrociousgrinwhichgavetoGoupil’sfacethediabolicalexpressionoftheMephistophelesofJosephBrideau。
“Ishouldthinkso！“returnedGoupil。“Ifshedoesn’tmarrymeI’llmakeherdieofgrief。“
“Doit，myboy，andI’llGIVEyouthemoneytobuyapracticeinParis。Youcanthenmarryarichwoman——“
“PoorUrsula！whatmakesyousobitteragainsther？whathasshedonetoyou？“askedtheclerkinsurprise。
“Sheannoysme，“saidMinoret，gruffly。
“Well，waittillMondayandyoushallseehowI’llraspher，“saidGoupil，studyingtheexpressionofthelatepostmaster’sface。
ThenextdayLaBougivalcarriedthefollowinglettertoSavinien。
“Idon’tknowwhatthedearchildhaswrittentoyou，“shesaid，“butsheisalmostdeadthismorning。“
Who，readingthislettertoherlover，couldfailtounderstandthesufferingsthepoorgirlhadgonethroughduringthenight。
MydearSavinien，——YourmotherwishesyoutomarryMademoiselleduRouvre，andperhapssheisright。Youareplacedbetweenalifethatisalmostpoverty-strickenandalifeofopulence；betweenthebetrothedofyourheartandawifeinconformitywiththedemandsoftheworld；betweenobediencetoyourmotherandthefulfilmentofyourownchoice——forIstillbelievethatyouhavechosenme。Savinien，ifyouhavenowtomakeyourdecisionIwishyoutodosoinabsolutefreedom；Igiveyoubackthepromiseyoumadetoyourself——nottome——inamomentwhichcanneverfadefrommymemory，foritwas，likeotherdaysthathavesucceededit，ofangelicpurityandsweetness。Thatmemorywillsufficemeformylife。Ifyoushouldpersistinyourpledgetome，adarkandterribleideawouldhenceforthtroublemyhappiness。Inthemidstofourprivations——whichwehavehithertoacceptedsogayly——youmightreflect，toolate，thatlifewouldhavebeentoyouabetterthinghadyounowconformedtothelawsoftheworld。Ifyouwereamantoexpressthatthought，itwouldbetomethesentenceofanagonizingdeath；ifyoudidnotexpressit，Ishouldwatchsuspiciouslyeveryclouduponyourbrow。
DearSavinien，Ihavepreferredyoutoallelseonearth。Iwasrighttodoso，formygodfather，thoughjealousofyou，usedtosaytome，“Lovehim，mychild；youwillcertainlybelongtoeachotheroneofthesedays。“WhenIwenttoParisIlovedyouhopelessly，andthefeelingcontentedme。IdonotknowifIcannowreturntoit，butIshalltry。Whatarewe，afterall，atthismoment？Brotherandsister。Letusstayso。Marrythathappygirlwhocanhavethejoyofgivingtoyournamethelustreitoughttohave，andwhichyourmotherthinksIshoulddiminish。Youwillnothearofmeagain。Theworldwillapproveofyou；Ishallneverblameyou——butIshallloveyouever。Adieu，then！
“Wait，“criedtheyoungman。SigningtoLaBougivaltositdown，hescratchedoffhastilythefollowingreply:——
MydearUrsula，——Yourlettercutsmetotheheart，inasmuchasyouhaveneedlesslyfeltsuchpain；andalsobecauseourhearts，forthefirsttime，havefailedtounderstandeachother。Ifyouarenotmywifenow，itissolelybecauseIcannotmarrywithoutmymother’sconsent。Dear，eightthousandfrancsayearandaprettycottageontheLoing，why，that’safortune，isitnot？YouknowwecalculatedthatifwekeptLaBougivalwecouldlaybyhalfourincomeeveryyear。Youallowedmethatevening，inyouruncle’sgarden，toconsideryoumine；youcannotnowofyourselfbreakthosetieswhicharecommontobothofus——Ursula，needItellyouthatIyesterdayinformedMonsieurduRouvrethatevenifI
werefreeIcouldnotreceiveafortunefromayoungpersonwhomI
didnotknow？Mymotherrefusestoseeyouagain；Imustthereforelosethehappinessofourevenings；butsurelyyouwillnotdeprivemeofthebriefmomentsIcanspendatyourwindow？Thisevening，then——Nothingcanseparateus。
“Takethistoher，myoldwoman；shemustnotbeunhappyonemomentlonger。“
Thatafternoonatfouro’clock，returningfromthewalkwhichhealwaystookexpresslytopassbeforeUrsula’shouse，Savinienfoundhismistresswaitingforhim，herfacealittlepallidfromthesesuddenchangesandexcitements。
“ItseemstomethatuntilnowIhaveneverknownwhatthepleasureofseeingyouis，“shesaidtohim。
“Youoncesaidtome，“repliedSavinien，smiling，——“forIrememberallyourwords，——’Lovelivesbypatience；wewillwait！’Dear，youhaveseparatedlovefromfaith。Ah！thisshallbetheendofourquarrels；
wewillneverhaveanother。YouhaveclaimedtolovemebetterthanI
loveyou，but——didIeverdoubtyou？“hesaid，offeringherabouquetofwild-flowersarrangedtoexpresshisthoughts。
“Youhaveneverhadanyreasontodoubtme，“shereplied；“and，besides，youdon’tknowall，“sheadded，inatroubledvoice。
Ursulahadrefusedtoreceivelettersbythepost。Butthatafternoon，withoutbeingableeventoguessatthenatureofthetrick，shehadfound，afewmomentsbeforeSavinien’sarrival，alettertossedonhersofawhichcontainedthewords:“Tremble！arejectedlovercanbecomeatiger。“
